Care pathways provide a practical analytical tool that encompasses both organizational efficiency and individual patients' care. In the UK, constructing the care pathway has been a recommended starting point for the redesign of health-care systems. This paper examines the redesign cycle for health-care systems and looks at the role of pathway-based models in the design and operation phases of the cycle. In addition, the models provide further benefits for communicating recommended practice and audit of care and outcomes. The models span the classic care pathway with extensions to simulation modelling. An example of the use of care pathways in the redesign of an emergency department is used for illustration. This study shows the role of pathway models as: a tool for redesign, a catalyst for enhancing communication and as a repository for audit information. The final role of a tool for modelling contingencies was not implemented. From the example it can be concluded that sophisticated models can be useful, in some applications; however, the simpler approaches may often be the best, offering rapid, transparent recommendations based on a multidisciplinary approach.
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